Watering. do you always totally soak the soil or just some of it?

[fatboyOGOF]

i'm a wee bit high so this might ramble a bit!

i stumbled on some threads about over/under watering and wondered about what you guys do.

when i started growing, i'd water until it ran out the bottom. thoroughly soaking the soil each time. some of these plants would still be moist 1.5 weeks later which would screw up the recommended once a week feeding cycle. same size as the other plants, just not as thirsty (i checked the roots a few times and they looked fine).

in flower, it was taking a week between waterings and i wanted to water once or twice between feeding, so i was only ferting once every 2 to 3 weeks. i started using 1/2 the amount of water than i was using. this allows me to water about twice a week. with a feeding/water/water cycle.

do you guys water until the soil is thoroughly soaked each time during flower and if so, how often do you fertilize them?


ok, i'm done. yep, i rambled!

 

[potpimp]

If your soil is still wet a week later you don't have the proper "soil" mix. Typically, wth the right mix, you water til it runs out the bottom every 3 days. I'm guessing you just have "dirt", no perlite. A good soil mix is light and fluffy, well aerated and drains fairly quickly.

 

[fatboyOGOF]

If your soil is still wet a week later you don't have the proper "soil" mix. Typically, wth the right mix, you water til it runs out the bottom every 3 days. I'm guessing you just have "dirt", no perlite. A good soil mix is light and fluffy, well aerated and drains fairly quickly.

i don't still have this problem because i'm watering less, but i always used about 1/3rd perlite and fox farm or black gold soils and other additives over the years. it would still take a week or more. i see that lots of people water once a week. not that it's a good thing, but that it's pretty common.


you've made me curious though, and i will do about 1/2 soil 1/2 perlite next time to see if it's much different than the 1/3rd perlite to soil i'm using these days. because i water less, to be able to water twice a week, i'm apparently still not using as much perlite as i think. :doh:

come to think of it, back in the day, it was probably closer to 1/4 perlite and the rest soil and now i'm wondering what actual percentage of perlite i use these days. it's not like i actually measure it. after the first 20 grows i got a bit laxidasical! lol

 

[obijohn]

IMO best to soak, then let it dry. I'm guessing you are indoors to not have to water that much. I'm outdoors and it's a good watering twice a day!

 

[fatboyOGOF]

IMO best to soak, then let it dry. I'm guessing you are indoors to not have to water that much. I'm outdoors and it's a good watering twice a day!

twice a day? damn! that's a lot of work! i'd love to grow outdoors but i fear teens and animals more than cops!

 

[Dankster4Life]

Hard to give the answers you need with out knowing certain things.

How big are the plants.....how big are the pots.....what kind of medium do you use,pro mix,miracle grow,ffof,etc.......what kind of temps,air change and humidity do you have in your grow?Mo info will help other help you.

 

[fatboyOGOF]

Hard to give the answers you need with out knowing certain things.

How big are the plants.....how big are the pots.....what kind of medium do you use,pro mix,miracle grow,ffof,etc.......what kind of temps,air change and humidity do you have in your grow?Mo info will help other help you.

i think potpimp hit the nail on the head. i never measure the perlite. i just pour some out and mix. the more i think about it it's probably about 1/4 perlite to fox farm ocean forest. i'm going to be more careful with my soil mix in future.


Thanks!

 

[MrStickyScissors]

I go with roots organic. it is allready a gud soil right out of the bag. I add sum perilite to it in the hopes of my pots sucking up more quickly so I can get more feedings / watterings in

 

[Dankster4Life]

i think potpimp hit the nail on the head. i never measure the perlite. i just pour some out and mix. the more i think about it it's probably about 1/4 perlite to fox farm ocean forest. i'm going to be more careful with my soil mix in future.


Thanks!

I have used FFOF without adding perlite and had no issues with taking so long to dry up.A week and a half is a LOOOOONG time to stay wet regardless of what the medium is.

 

[MrStickyScissors]

I have used FFOF without adding perlite and had no issues with taking so long to dry up.A week and a half is a LOOOOONG time to stay wet regardless of what the medium is.

yeah for flower I agree. but in veg say hes in a 3 gallon and soaks it. it might take that long.

 

[fatboyOGOF]

I have used FFOF without adding perlite and had no issues with taking so long to dry up.A week and a half is a LOOOOONG time to stay wet regardless of what the medium is.

no no! that was a long time ago. if i watered thoroughly these days, it would take 6 to 7 days to dry enough to water again. i've been growing indoors since 1994 or 95. i just get real lazy and forget some fundamentals sometimes. i forgot a humidity tent and lost a bunch of sensi star seeds. HOW THE EFFFF could i forget the humidity tent after doing so many seeds? easy! lol

 

[Dankster4Life]

no no! that was a long time ago. if i watered thoroughly these days, it would take 6 to 7 days to dry enough to water again. i've been growing indoors since 1994 or 95. i just get real lazy and forget some fundamentals sometimes. i forgot a humidity tent and lost a bunch of sensi star seeds. HOW THE EFFFF could i forget the humidity tent after doing so many seeds? easy! lol

Lol....

I'm LOL'ing at myself.



Stoner moments.......they can give a good laugh some times.

 

[fatboyOGOF]

i was just looking over some pics from a couple crops back. it looks like i use plenty of perlite. but i really want to get to where i can soak a 2 or 3 gallon grow bag and have it ready to water in 3 or 4 days so i'll be adding a lot more to the next batch when i repot.

View attachment 1794762

 

[Dankster4Life]

Do you mean dry up in that amount of time with those size plants?

I don't see it happening.Not enough roots in there to take up that much moisture in that amount of time.

 

[vilify]

Veg i dont really keep a schedule. Flower I'm on a 3 day schedule. Nutes day 1, Plain Water day 2, Dry day 3, Repeat

 

[MrStickyScissors]

Veg i dont really keep a schedule. Flower I'm on a 3 day schedule. Nutes day 1, Plain Water day 2, Dry day 3, Repeat

I use to do that then I started Feed, then water with plain water, then water with hydrozym then repeat

 

[vilify]

Nice. I mix my hygrozyme in with my nute feeding.

 

[MrStickyScissors]

Nice. I mix my hygrozyme in with my nute feeding.

do you apply it everytime you feed? I wanted to mix it in my gut feeling told me not too. is it working out for you
?

 

[MrStickyScissors]

I started this rapid start from GH its works great